This scandal should be hung around McCain’s neck. There is no way we should let him get away with bragging about doing the dirty work to minimize the impact of the scandal on George W. Bush’s 2004 race and to keep most of his caucus out of a well deserved jail cell.

John McCain is intensely corrupt.

He is especially unfit to be President of the United States of America.

I just thought I would pass that along.

Very long and detailed article on just why John McCain should never be allowed to be President. His only 'straight shooting' is in cover-up efforts.

_________________“I'm not a member of any organized party. I'm a Democrat.”-Will Rogers

GREAT WORK, APL. I SUGGEST THAT EVERYBODY SEND THE INFO TO ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES, REGARDLESS OF THEIR POLITICS.

PRINT IT OFF AND LEAVE IT IN YOUR GROCERY CART.PRINT IT AND POST IT ON PUBLIC BULLETIN BOARDS.LEAVE IT IN THE MAGAZINE RACK AT YOUR PUBLIC LIBRARY.LEAVE IT AT YOUR DOCTORS' AND DENTISTS' OFFICE WAITING ROOMS.

Quote:

And in the process truth, honor and justice have become the victims of McCain’s ambition. An ambition that has led him to hide the most damning details of the Abramoff scandal:

Jack’s role as a 25-year bagman for the GOP: hidden.

Jack’s close working relationship with the Bush White House: hidden.

Jack’s close working relationship with the Republican Congressional Leadership: hidden.

Jack’s role in dirty tricks and off-the-books money for the GOP: hidden.

Jack’s role in Medicare reform: hidden.

Jack’s role energy policy: hidden. John McCain needs to be called on this.

"I have many friends who represent various interests, ranging from the firemen to the police to senior citizens to various interests, particularly before my committee," McCain said. "The question is . . . do they have excess or unwarranted influence? And certainly no one ever has in my conduct of my public life and conduct of my legislative agenda."

I didn't know McCain was a comedian. You have to read the article to see just who McCain 'represents'.

Of all the lobbyists involved in the McCain campaign, the most prominent is [Charles] Black, who has made a lucrative career of shuttling back and forth between presidential politics and big-time Washington lobbying…. [E]ven as Black provides a private voice and a public face for McCain, he also leads his lobbying firm, which offers corporate interests and foreign governments the promise of access to the most powerful lawmakers. Some of those companies have interests before the Senate and, in particular, the Commerce Committee, of which McCain is a member.

Black said he does a lot of his work by telephone from McCain’s Straight Talk Express bus.

While Sen. John McCain has nearly wrapped up the Republican presidential nomination, he apparently still hasn't wrapped up his own party.

According to a new Fox News/Washington Times/Rasmussen reports poll out today, Republicans like Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) nearly as much as they like McCain. The survey -- of likability -- isn't indicative of whether they'd vote for Obama over their own nominee -- but it could suggest problems for McCain down the road, should Obama become the Democratic nominee.

Equally troubling for Republicans is that the survey showed that party supporters think Obama is smarter than McCain.

"Despite facing candidates with far more experience in government, [Obama] was rated smartest by 26 percent of those polled, more so than Mrs. Clinton, who won 22 percent, and Mr. McCain, who garnered 17 percent," the Washington Times write Tuesday. "Mr. Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, was fourth with 10 percent."

Wow...what would it be like to have a SMART president for a change!

_________________

"Behind every great fortune lies a great crime."Honore de Balzac

"Democrats work to help people who need help. That other party, they work for people who don't need help. That's all there is to it."~Harry S. Truman

I hope for the day we have smart and integrity at the same time. Jimmy Carter was the last with both and is has been 32 years since he was elected. Clinton was smart but had the integrity of a snake. Reagan and both Bushes were dumb and had zero integrity, if that much. We know the integrity of McCain is zilch, so why is there even an argument?

_________________“I'm not a member of any organized party. I'm a Democrat.”-Will Rogers

I hope for the day we have smart and integrity at the same time. Jimmy Carter was the last with both and is has been 32 years since he was elected. Clinton was smart but had the integrity of a snake. Reagan and both Bushes were dumb and had zero integrity, if that much. We know the integrity of McCain is zilch, so why is there even an argument?

"Reagan and both Bushes were dumb and had zero integrity, if that much."

Exactly.

"So why is there even an argument?"

We have far too many people who identify with them.

We have to do something about our disdain for intellect, ditto for the way people feel about integrity.

Liberals who have sung the praises of John McCain in the past confront a fascinating test of consistency, integrity and political commitment now that McCain is the virtually certain Republican nominee.

It could be an amusing moment. I should know, since I’m one of them.

Over the years, I’ve said a lot of nice things about McCain. In 1996 I suggested that Bob Dole pick him as his running mate. (Dole didn’t listen.) I praised McCain’s work on campaign finance reform, admired him for opposing President Bush’s tax cuts and was upset when he was being cut down by the Bush machine in 2000. I wrote a friendly review of one of McCain’s books, and even once asked, in print, that God bless him (for his refusal to bash immigrants).

Even my punditry has been sympathetic to McCain. In July of 1999 I said he’d emerge as the main challenger to George W. Bush, and in early November of last year I pointed to the beginnings of a 2008 McCain comeback.

Please forgive those self-referential paragraphs. I offer them to underscore that the problem I’m writing about is not somebody else’s. It’s mine.

Read on to understand that John McCain is not what some liberals thought he was before he caved to the Bushies.

_________________

"Behind every great fortune lies a great crime."Honore de Balzac

"Democrats work to help people who need help. That other party, they work for people who don't need help. That's all there is to it."~Harry S. Truman

I HOPE A PROUD LIBERAL WON'T MIND MY HAVING EDITED THE TITLE OF THIS THREAD AND MADE IT A STICKY.

I was over at The Smirking Chimp today and saw that one of their most prolific members named MISS MARPLE had begun a very interesting thread that began with these words:

Quote:

Please post issues we can use against McCain that will win over average voters.

AT THE CHIMP, THESE HAVE BEEN THE RESPONSES SO FAR:

Quote:

I think we should get ready now by putting together our amunition. I was over at SC just now and found two. When we find one, we can elaborate on it in following posts. My intent is to list issues that will resonate with most voters, not a small group. Small groups already know who believes, or do not believe in their cause.

My example is abortion. Does McCain believe any abortion is okay, and if so, under what circumstance?

Also, for each Right Wing minister that has endorsed him, what does each of them say on their issues? For instance, Israel. Many, maybe most of you oppose Israel or things Israel does. But most Americans support Israel or the idea of Israel because of how they feel about a democratic ally or the Jewish People. If any of them have said anti-Jewish things, or anti-Israel things, that can be used against McCain. Wouldn't it be fun to use the other side agains McCain? That is just an example; we know there is more out there.

Here are two I picked up at SC.

Quote:

vetwife: We keep hearing of fodder to be used Someone should take a look at who is at McCain's side each and everywhere he goes. Lindsay Graham. Yes a senator who attended a Rev. Moon coronation declaring him the Messiah at the Dirksen building in 2004. This was outrageous. We the taxpayers crowned this nutcase while 81 congress members both dem and republican let this go on. There is plenty of fodder to go around. Go Barack. You just made people aware of their own predjudices while MCain is getting away with plenty. Talk about controversy. But, the media does not want to take on Rev Moon and the Moonies and the Washington Post.

And this nice one.

Quote:

Jackalope: Haggee and Parsley now getting some negaive press. new Tonight on David Gregory’s new show Pat Buchanan kept discounting Rachel Madow when she brought up Hagee and Parsley. Buchanan said it wasn’t a similar situation, that McCain hadn’t been a member of their church for 20 years. So big deal, McCain accepted their endorsements and reportedly considers Parsley his spiritual advisor. At least Rev. Wright inadvertently put the spotlight on Hagee and Parley. Their bizarre beliefs are all now getting in to mainstream media. It’s about time.

If we look around, I'm sure we can find some more.

__________________

Last edited by MissMarple (20 Mar 2008 - 05:03)

An easy enough exerciseIn the fine tradition of American politics as blood sport, he should be swiftboated, mercilessly; that is, what appear to be his strengths should be used against him.

For example, what he claims to be experience should be turned into a question of his age, with an endless equating of age with senility. Use examples: oh, John doesn't know the difference between Shia and Sunni--though maybe he used to... his memory isn't what it used to be. Or: When the phone rings at 3:00 a.m.(or using 3:00 p.m. might be even more fun), John can't answer--he doesn't function well when he hasn't had his nap.

Also, his military record should be attacked. There are stories out there about him working against other POWs while he was imprisoned. Use them, make them up if necessary--it doesn't matter how true they are, say it enough times and that's all people will hear. (And drop the illusory notion that "if we act like that we'll be just like them." You are like them, at least within the context of American electoral politics, because that's the way the system works, and that's the way Americans understand things.) Also, the very idea of him being a hero should be reframed. Because America glorifies war, there are too many stories along the lines of oooh little Johnny has a sliver under his finger and doesn't cry much while it's being pulled out; he's a real American hero. So with McGeezer the question gets changed to, What did he really do that was heroic? --all he did was get captured.

SO, TV NEWS LIES MEMBERS, CAN WE DO THE SAME THING FOLKS AT THE SMIRKING CHIMP ARE DOING TO HELP DEFEAT MCCAIN'S BID FOR THE PRESIDENCY? WE'RE NOT AS BIG AS THE SMIRKING CHIMP, BUT WE CAN DO WHAT WE CAN, SO LET'S USE THIS THREAD TO CREATE OUR OWN INFO TO HELP DEFEAT MCCAIN! I THINK WE'RE ALREADY OFF TO A GOOD START WITH THE INFORMATION ALREADY POSTED IN THE THREAD SO FAR. !

[url=http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20080320_the_folks_who_brought_you_iraq/?ln]The Folks Who Brought You Iraq[/url]

“Well, that’s history. That’s the past. That’s talking about what happened before. What we should be talking about is what we’re going to do now.”

The man who spoke those words is Sen. John McCain, and the subject was the Iraq war and its origins in official falsehood, strategic error and wishful thinking. Expect to hear him repeat those same dismissive phrases again and again as the presidential campaign unfolds.

Quote:

With the Arizona senator fresh from a congressional trip to Baghdad—where he preened for the photo ops along with two of his campaign co-chairs, Sen. Joseph Lieberman and Sen. Lindsey Graham—this is certainly an appropriate moment to evaluate the judgment of the politicians who have promoted the whole enterprise and the consequences of their decision.

Quote:

What did we get for all our money and blood? What diplomatic and strategic achievements can we attribute to the war? The conflict over Israel and Palestine has grown more intractable, with the rising influence of Hamas and Hezbollah. The influence of Iran, an avowed enemy of the United States, has risen across the region and penetrated deep into Iraq, where our occupation props up Tehran’s allies. The United States military has been badly depleted and demoralized, while our global prestige has dropped.

Still, McCain tells us—and reportedly assured the Iraqi prime minister—of his intentions if elected president. “What we’re going to do now is continue this strategy,” he said, “which is succeeding in Iraq and we are carrying out the goals of the surge ... .”

Quote:

Based on the originally stated purpose, the surge isn’t succeeding. Predictably, the level of violence in Iraq is rising again, with the daily death toll in March so far doubled from its low point in January.

It is telling when a presidential candidate speaks so dismissively of history and urges us to ignore “what happened before.” In this instance, it is a sign of bad faith and worse judgment.

_________________

"Behind every great fortune lies a great crime."Honore de Balzac

"Democrats work to help people who need help. That other party, they work for people who don't need help. That's all there is to it."~Harry S. Truman

Joshua Micah Marshall of Talking Points Memo argues that John McCain’s foreign policy shortsightedness makes him unfit to command. It’s not just Iraq, Marshall says, but a pattern of looking at the world simplistically.